Effect of Risk Assessment on Performance of Water and Sewerage Projects in Kenya: A Case Study of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company

Today, many infrastructural projects have been characterized by incompleteness, abandonment, and stagnation, with the majority exceeding budget or failing to achieve deliverables. Despite the increasing project management practices adopted, many projects continue to experience challenges in completion. Thus, the purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between risk assessment and performance of water and sewerage projects in Nairobi County, Kenya. A correlational research design was used, whereby data were collected through online questionnaires. The study targeted 210 participants from 45 water and sewerage projects, and participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Using the Yamane formula, the sample was reduced to 138. Data were then analyzed and interpreted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 28 for descriptive and inferential analyses. The simple linear regression results indicated that risk assessment was statistically and positively associated with project performance, with a coefficient value of β = 0.55, p < 0.01. The study concludes that risk assessment directly influenced project performance of water and sewerage projects. The study recommends that organizations should strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration among all stakeholders when assessing risks to ensure better project performance. Keywords: Risk Assessment, Risk Category, Likelihood of Risk, Risk Magnitude, Risk Exposure